NHER 4687 (Building record) - Priory Farm or Manor Farm

1968. Excavation.
Restoration carried out at the manor house, allowed for excavation in the area that is enclosed by the moat, which lies behind the exisiting south-west wing. This excavation and a study of the available documentary material by Dr. R. Virgoe, made it possible establish the sequence of development. The earliest building was a 15th-century hall built by the Rysley family. This was redesigned in brick c. 1480, and a two-story gatehouse and projecting turrets along the south-west front were added. The second side of this courtyard house was formed by a timber-framed hall-wing, whose date is uncertain since the pottery found with it, largely Grimston ware, was unstratified.
Information from (S7). SNF2422
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 11 July 2013.

5 June 1973. Ordnance Survey air photography.
Earthworks of moat.
D. Voisey (NLA)

Medieval moated site.
Present building 16th and 17th centuries.
Excavations in 1967 to 1969 produces medieval and post medieval pottery.
Casual find of Roman pottery.
See (S1) and (S2).

1996. Earthwork Survey.
1:1000 survey of moat.
See report (S3) for plan (which also covers NHER 4688 and NHER 31848) and further details. This site was included in (S8) and the survey is also noted in (S9).
B. Cushion (NLA) June 1996.

Before February 2002. Stray Find.
Casual find on bank of moat at [1]:
Fragment of 16th century Venetian or facon de venise vessel glass.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 13 January 2005.

(S4) describes the Manor House, formerly known as Great Cressingham Priory, as the remains of a 'sumptuous' mid 16th century manor house. The Jenny family acquired the house in 1542, and the surviving range of the house bears the family monogram in moulded brick. Only the southeast block of Jenny's courtyard house is still standing, with polygonal towers, and complex and elaborate terracotta and brick decoration on the first floor façade. (S5) notes that the west turret was converted into a dovecote. (S6) states that this is the site of the 15th century manor house of 'Rysleys', and that although the land was owned by the Priory of Norwich, there was never a religious house on the site.
S. Spooner (NLA) 4 January 2006